David Stern on Dwight Howard's situation: 'It'll play out the way it plays out' | Video

CaptionRyan Anderson, power forward

HT: 6-10 WT: 240 COLLEGE: California AGE: Turns 24 on May 6, 2012. NBA SEASONS: 2011-12 is his fourth TWITTER HANDLE: @ryananderson33 HOW HE CAME TO ORLANDO: Traded from the New Jersey Nets with Vince Carter and Jason Richardson for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee on June 25, 2009. SCOUTING REPORT: Anderson shared the power-forward spot last season with Brandon Bass. Anderson will have the same role this season, splitting time with Glen "Big Baby" Davis, who was acquired in sign-and-trade deal with the Boston Celtics for Bass. Last season, Anderson had his best year as a pro, averaging 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. His challenge is improving on the defensive end. ODDS & ENDS: Anderson grew up in a family that seldom, if ever, watched sports. "If Michael Jordan walked past my dad, I don't think he'd recognize him," Anderson once said. Anderson spent much of his youth kayaking and hiking on nature trails. . . . He grew up in a suburb of Sacramento, Calif. Click here to see our Ryan Anderson photo gallery

HT: 6-10 WT: 240 COLLEGE: California AGE: Turns 24 on May 6, 2012. NBA SEASONS: 2011-12 is his fourth TWITTER HANDLE: @ryananderson33 HOW HE CAME TO ORLANDO: Traded from the New Jersey Nets with Vince Carter and Jason Richardson for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee on June 25, 2009. SCOUTING REPORT: Anderson shared the power-forward spot last season with Brandon Bass. Anderson will have the same role this season, splitting time with Glen "Big Baby" Davis, who was acquired in sign-and-trade deal with the Boston Celtics for Bass. Last season, Anderson had his best year as a pro, averaging 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. His challenge is improving on the defensive end. ODDS & ENDS: Anderson grew up in a family that seldom, if ever, watched sports. "If Michael Jordan walked past my dad, I don't think he'd recognize him," Anderson once said. Anderson spent much of his youth kayaking and hiking on nature trails. . . . He grew up in a suburb of Sacramento, Calif. Click here to see our Ryan Anderson photo gallery

HT: 6-10 WT: 225 COLLEGE: Louisville AGE: Turns 24 on Jan. 17, 2012 NBA SEASONS: 2011-12 is his third. TWITTER HANDLE: @3eaZy HOW HE CAME TO ORLANDO: Traded from the Phoenix Suns with Earl Clark and Hedo Turkoglu for Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, a 2012-first-round pick and cash on Dec. 18, 2010. . . . Re-signed with the Magic for two seasons on Dec. 15, 2011. SCOUTING REPORT:Magic coach Stan Van Gundy raves about Clark's potential as a defender. Van Gundy loves Clark's quick feet and long arms and has said he will try to play Clark off the bench against some opponents' top scorers -- guys such as Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Paul Pierce. That said, Clark doesn't have much experience in crucial situations, and Van Gundy has been reluctant to use him in key spots in the past. Clark is a "tweener": He doesn't have the bulk right now to be a power forward, and he doesn't have the refined offensive game to fit in offensively as a small forward. Still, Clark says he would embrace the role as a defensive stopper. ODDS & ENDS: Clark was born in Newark, N.J., and he has said New Jersey is his favorite travel destination. . . . He says his mom, Brenda Clark, had the biggest impact on his athletic career. . . . When he was a child, he pretended to be Allen Iverson. Click here to see our Earl Clark photo gallery

HT: 6-10 WT: 225 COLLEGE: Louisville AGE: Turns 24 on Jan. 17, 2012 NBA SEASONS: 2011-12 is his third. TWITTER HANDLE: @3eaZy HOW HE CAME TO ORLANDO: Traded from the Phoenix Suns with Earl Clark and Hedo Turkoglu for Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, a 2012-first-round pick and cash on Dec. 18, 2010. . . . Re-signed with the Magic for two seasons on Dec. 15, 2011. SCOUTING REPORT:Magic coach Stan Van Gundy raves about Clark's potential as a defender. Van Gundy loves Clark's quick feet and long arms and has said he will try to play Clark off the bench against some opponents' top scorers -- guys such as Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Paul Pierce. That said, Clark doesn't have much experience in crucial situations, and Van Gundy has been reluctant to use him in key spots in the past. Clark is a "tweener": He doesn't have the bulk right now to be a power forward, and he doesn't have the refined offensive game to fit in offensively as a small forward. Still, Clark says he would embrace the role as a defensive stopper. ODDS & ENDS: Clark was born in Newark, N.J., and he has said New Jersey is his favorite travel destination. . . . He says his mom, Brenda Clark, had the biggest impact on his athletic career. . . . When he was a child, he pretended to be Allen Iverson. Click here to see our Earl Clark photo gallery

OKLAHOMA CITY — David Stern sounds unconcerned about the apparent trend of superstars leaving small- or mid-market cities for the bright lights of larger markets.

Asked how he wants to see Dwight Howard's situation play out and whether he's concerned that Chris Paul sought to leave New Orleans and Howard wants to leave Orlando, Stern said he honors players' right to play where they want.

"That's the beauty of the soap opera of basketball," Stern said before the Orlando Magic faced the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Christmas night. "As in life, it'll play out the way it plays out, and we'll all be observers of it. I just don't know.

"But, to me, I am of the view that when somebody has put in his years so to speak and he has earned his free agency he's free to decide where he'll sign, and he's not under a compunction under our system to re-sign with a team if he doesn't want to. But how it plays out? We'll all wait and see."

In the lineupCoach Stan Van Gundy started Ryan Anderson at power forward instead of Glen Davis, the team's top offseason acquisition.

Van Gundy explained that he brought Davis off the bench because Davis is the Magic's top backup center. Van Gundy was concerned if that Davis and Howard both started, each of them could get into early foul trouble.

"That was really the only part of the decision," Van Gundy said.

General Manager Otis Smith sounded as if he's in no rush to add another big man. Smith feels that the team is in better shape with Davis at the backup center spot than the team was at the end of last season, when Brandon Bass and Anderson served as Howard's backups.

Smith also did not sound concerned that Davis might not be in the starting lineup game-in, game-out.

"At the end of the day, it's about who finishes games, not necessarily always who starts them," Smith said. "It's kind of hard to tell young guys that, but at the end of the day, that's what it's about."

The rest of the starting lineup — Jameer Nelson at point guard. Jason Richardson at shooting guard, Hedo Turkoglu at small forward and Howard at center — featured no surprises.

Layups• Stern on how fans have reacted after the lockout: "Our fans are giving us more than we probably deserve. They're buying tickets in numbers that approximate last year."

• Center Daniel Orton and shooting guard DeAndre Liggins did not dress Sunday. Teams can dress only 13 players for a game. The Magic have 15 players on their roster.

• The departure of scouting information coordinator Charles Klask during the offseason to become a Detroit Pistons assistant coach has prompted the Magic to adjust some responsibilities. Assistant coach Ahmad Ajami has assumed much of Klask's old role. Adam Glessner has been promoted to video manager and now travels on Magic road trips. Brad Jones has been promoted to video coordinator.

• As is their custom when they travel to Oklahoma City, the Magic stayed at the Skirvin Hilton, a hotel that is about 100 years old and, according to legend, is haunted.

• The Magic's regular-season home sellout streak seems safe for now. As of early Sunday afternoon, only 250 tickets remained for Monday night's home opener against the Houston Rockets, a Magic spokesman said. The team entered the regular season with sellouts in 98 consecutive games at Amway Arena and Amway Center.

• Bass made his Boston Celtics regular-season debut Sunday in Boston's 106-104 loss to the New York Knicks. Bass scored 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting and gathered 11 rebounds. "Brandon's a very, very good player," Van Gundy said. "And I'm happy for him because Brandon's a great guy."

• Sunday's game was the Magic's fourth consecutive game on Christmas. Orlando entered the night with a 5-3 record on the holiday. The Magic had compiled a 5-1 home record and an 0-2 road record.